Welcome!
This is a blog showcasing flower photography. I always enjoy photographing blooms, as do many other photographers!

The rules for posting are simple!

1. Every Friday post a photo that includes one or more flowers.2. Please only post photos you have authority to use.3. Include a link to this blog in your post - http://floralfridayfoto.blogspot.com/4. Leave the link to your FloralFridayFoto post below on inlinkz.5. Visit other blogs listed ... comment & enjoy!

When to Post:inlinkz will be available every Thursday and will remain open until the next Wednesday.

Thursday, 27 December 2012

This tall bearded iris, from the family Iridaceae, is the cultivar Iris "Cameo Wine", hybridised by B. Blyth. The year of introduction was 1982. The plant is sterile and will not set seed, but is easily propagated by planting small pieces of the tuberous roots. It does well in full sun or sun to partial-shade and it should be watered regularly, but not over-watered. It flowers in early summer.

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Thursday, 20 December 2012

Crucifix orchid (Epidendrum ibaguense) is a species of the Orchidaceae family that occurs naturally from Mexico to Colombia. It has long, thin stems and leathery leaves. The flowers bloom in clusters, with up to 20 flowers open on a stem at once. They come in orange, red, mauve, purple, salmon and yellow. We have the orange and red varieties growing profusely as potted specimens in our garden and they are very rewarding plants.

The common name 'crucifix orchid' refers to the lip of the flower (called the labellum), which resembles a small, gold cross. Crucifix orchids are tough, easy to grow, easily propagated and they have vivid, long lasting flowers. In fact, they are an excellent beginner's orchid. They can be grown in containers in a free-draining mix, amongst rocks in the garden, or in soil. They like a frost-free climate and flower best in a full sun position.

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Thursday, 13 December 2012

Iris pseudacorus (yellow flag, yellow iris, water flag) is a species in the genus Iris, of the family Iridaceae. It is native to Europe, western Asia and northwest Africa. Its specific epithet, meaning "false acorus," refers to the similarity of its leaves to those of Acorus calamus, as they have a prominently veined mid-rib and sword-like shape.

It is a herbaceous flowering perennial plant, growing to 1-1.5 m (or a rare 2 m) tall, with erect leaves up to 90 cm long and 3 cm broad. The flowers are bright yellow, 7-10 cm across, with the typical iris form. The fruit is a dry capsule 4-7 cm long, containing numerous pale brown seeds. Iris pseudacorus grows best in very wet conditions, and is often common in wetlands, where it tolerates submersion, low pH, and anoxic soils. The plant spreads quickly, by both rhizome and water-dispersed seed. It fills a similar niche to that of Typha and often grows with it, though usually in shallower water. While it is primarily an aquatic plant, the rhizomes can survive prolonged dry conditions.

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Thursday, 6 December 2012

Sprekelia is a genus of at least three bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae. They are native to Central America. Like Hippeastrum, these plants were known as Amaryllis. Sprekelia plants are sometimes called "Aztec lilies", although they are not true lilies. This genus is named after Johann Heinrich von Spreckelsen (1691–1764), who supplied the plants to Lorenz Heister.

Sprekelia formosissima shown here is the only species grown in Australia. It is a bulbous perennial that has clumps of strap-shaped, mid-green leaves. Each stem, about 30 cm tall, bears a solitary scarlet to deep crimson flower in late spring or early summer; established clumps may bloom again later in the summer. It grows best in partial sun and abundant moisture. Because the bulbs are tender and bloom best when crowded, container culture is probably best. Repot every 2 to 3 years. Roots resent disturbance.

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Thursday, 29 November 2012

Scabiosa is a genus in the teasel Family Dipsacaceae of flowering plants. Many of the species in this genus have common names that include the word scabious; however some plants commonly known as scabious are currently classified in related genera such as Knautia and Succisa; at least some of these were formerly placed in Scabiosa. Another common name for members of this genus is pincushion flowers.

Members of this genus are native to Europe and Asia. Some species of Scabiosa, notably small scabious (S. columbaria) and Mediterranean sweet scabious (S. atropurpurea) have been developed into cultivars for gardeners. Illustrated here is the Scabiosa columbaria cultivar 'Pink Mist'.

Scabiosa plants have many small flowers of soft lavender blue, lilac or creamy white colour borne in a single head on a tall stalk. Scabious flowers are nectar rich and attract a variety of insects including moths and butterflies such as the Six-spot Burnet. Scabiosa species are also used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Grey Pug.

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Thursday, 22 November 2012

Brachyscome iberidifolia (Swan River Daisy) is a delightful, easy to grow small shrub 15cm to 45cm and is native to Western and central Australia. Masses of purple, blue or white flowers from Spring to Autumn. Ideal for mass planting along borders, rockeries, as ground cover, in tubs or hanging baskets.

Brachyscome is a genus of around 70 species of mostly annual and perennial herbs and a few subshrubs in the daisy family Asteraceae. 65 of these are endemic to Australia, the remainder being found in New Zealand and New Guinea. They have typical "daisy" flower heads with showy ray florets in shades of white, pink, mauve, violet or blue, surrounding a usually narrow group of yellow disk florets. The leaves are often dissected to varying degrees but may be linear or spathulate. In growth habit they vary between plants with a rosette of basal leaves and more-or-less leafless flower scape, and those with mostly cauline leaves and often prostrate stems.

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Thursday, 15 November 2012

Malva sylvestris is a species of the Mallow genus Malva in the family of Malvaceae and is considered to be the type species for the genus. Known as common mallow to English speaking Europeans, it acquired the common names of cheeses, high mallow and tall mallow (mauve des bois by the French) as it migrated from its native home in Western Europe, North Africa and Asia through the English speaking world. M. sylvestris is a vigorously healthy plant with showy flowers of bright mauve-purple, with dark veins; a handsome plant, often standing 1 metre high and growing freely in fields, hedgerows and in fallow fields.

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It is a year since I first started this blog and I wish to thank all of the people who follow it and who contribute to it each week. It is a pleasure to have you join in and to see your glorious flower photos!

Thursday, 8 November 2012

Rosa"Evelyn" from David Austin was bred from Tamora x Graham Thomas. The rose has the typical Austin cupped /rosette form. Evelyn is known for the beauty of the blooms, for their fragrance and for a marvellous display at flowering time. The plant has a neat vase shape at the base, then reaches both up and out. It grows to about two metres tall with some canes spreading about the same width. Basals are produced readily, and throw candelabras of bloom - bearing huge, lush, drooping panicles of soft pink blossoms. Older canes tend to bloom with single buds, or in twos and threes.

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Thursday, 1 November 2012

Veronica is the largest genus in the flowering plant family Plantaginaceae, with about 500 species. Taxonomy for this genus is currently being reanalysed, with the genus Hebe and the related Australasian genera Derwentia, Detzneria, Chionohebe, Heliohebe, Leonohebe and Parahebe included by many botanists. Common names include speedwell, bird's eye, and gypsyweed.

The species are herbaceous annuals or perennials, and also shrubs or small trees if Hebe is included. Most of the species are from the temperate Northern Hemisphere, though with some species from the Southern Hemisphere.

Veronica chamaedrys (Germander Speedwell, Bird's-eye Speedwell - shown above) is a species of Veronica, native to Europe and northern Asia. It is found on other continents as an introduced species. It is a herbaceous perennial plant with hairy stems and leaves. It can grow to 25 cm tall, but is normally about 12 cm tall. The flowers are blue, with a four-lobed corolla. The form of the leaves are similar to white deadnettle. The 2 to 4 mm wide blossoms of this plant wilt very quickly upon picking, which has given it the ironic name "Männertreu", or "men's faithfulness" in German.

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Thursday, 25 October 2012

Rosa spp 'Yellow Charles Austin' is a modern shrub rose which produces fully double, fragrant, yellow flowers. This is bush with splendid, showy flowers that are fully double petalled and belong to the "old-fashioned" rose group. Leaves are medium to dark green, glossy, and ovate, with finely toothed edges. The flowers are quite fragrant.

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Thursday, 18 October 2012

Prostanthera magnifica, commonly known as Magnificent Prostanthera, is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae. It is endemic to Western Australia. The species is a shrub growing to between 0.4 and 2.5 metres high.

The flowers are mauve to pink and are framed by large, purplish-red calyces. These appear between August and November in the species native range. The species was first formally described by botanist Charles Austin Gardner in 1942 in Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia.

The species occurs in woodland on sand, loam or clay soils. Prostanthera magnifica prefers a sunny or partly shaded position in well drained soil. It is sensitive to both frost and humidity. Propagation is successful from both seed and cuttings, though seed germination is slow. Grafting is often used to produce a longer living plant with rootstocks including Westringia fruticosa and Prostanthera striatiflora .The latter gives rise to plants with a longer flowering period and less unwanted growth below the graft.

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Thursday, 11 October 2012

Kangaroo paw is a common name for a number of species, in two genera of the family Haemodoraceae, that are endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. These perennial plants are noted for their unique bird attracting flowers. The tubular flowers are coated with dense hairs and open at the apex with six claw-like structures: from this paw formation the common name "Kangaroo Paw" is derived.

Anigozanthos pulcherrimus Hook. (Yellow Kangaroo Paw). This species flowers in late spring through to early summer with golden yellow flowers on stems to 1.2 metres and is found naturally on the sand plains between Perth and Geraldton. All of the Kangaroo Paw species, especially some newly developed hybrid varieties are very colourful and bird attracting small plant for mixed plantings or in a container for patio and deck display.

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Thursday, 4 October 2012

The genus Lechenaultia is a group of twenty small woody or semi-woody plants endemic to Australia. Their range of colours and shades of blue, green, yellow, red and white make them highly prized for horticultural work. The correct spelling of the generic name, Lechenaultia, is open to some argument. It was named after Leschenault de la Tour, a botanist who visited Australia in 1802-3. However, when Robert Brown, an early botanist first published the name he spelt it Lechenaultia, omitting the 's'. The spelling without the 's' is considered valid by Australian taxonomists.

All but three of the species are endemic to Western Australia and the most famous of all is the Blue Lechenaultia - L. biloba.The flowers, which grow to 1.5 cm long by 2-3 cm in diameter, have a tubular corolla, split on one side, and surrounded by five sepals. The corolla has five lobes and when laid flat it resembles an open fan or a hand with spread fingers. In L. biloba the corolla lobes are again divided into two segments, from which the specific name is derived.

Flowering time is from late winter through to summer. The leaves are soft, blue-green in colour, 3-9 mm long to 2 mm across, crowded and heathlike.The plant occurs naturally in gravelly and sandy soils of southern and central Western Australia. In its natural habitat it forms an open spreading plant to 50 cm high.Various shades of blue are the most common flower colour in L. biloba, but variants exist. One is a pure white form while another, a bicoloured form, has been registered as a cultivar. L. biloba 'White Flash' has a distinct white central portion within the flower and a deep blue outer area.

In cultivation it is essential that the plant is grown in a sandy, well-drained situation. Plants in heavier sites will generally not last a season. The plant is not a long-lived one, three to four years being its most probable life span. A suckering form of the species exists and this has great potential with a probable longer life.The species is easily propagated by cuttings taken at any time of the year with most success in late spring and summer.

The most important cultivation requirement is a perfectly drained situation, best achieved in rockeries, built-up beds or pots. L. biloba has been successfully cultivated in pots for many years in Europe. Minimal watering is required and the roots will penetrate deeply in a free-draining soil. Lechenaultia biloba can be allowed to straggle over rocks, or a more compact shape may be obtained by a light pruning after flowering. No injurious pests or diseases have been noted and the species is frost tolerant.

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Thursday, 27 September 2012

Pimelea spectabilis (Bunjong) is a species of shrub in the family Thymelaeaceae, endemic to Western Australia. It is erect in habit, growing to between 0.5 and 2 metres high. The pink and white flowers are produced between August and December in its native range. The species was first formally described by English botanist John Lindley in 1839 in A sketch of the vegetation of the Swan River colony.

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Thursday, 20 September 2012

Crab apple is a term used for several species of Malus in the family Rosaceae, which are characterised by small sour fruit resembling familiar table apples (Malus domestica). They are usually small trees or shrubs. The plants are grown primarily as ornamentals, although a few growers produce the fruit commercially. The fruit is preserved or pickled or it is used in making jellies. Most crab apples are grown for their ornamental value, and cultivars are chosen because of their beautiful flowers, foliage, or fruit.

The flower is similar to that of the apple. Bees freely visit the flowers, for both nectar and pollen. Like the apple, the crab apple appears to require cross-pollination between cultivars by insects. Self-pollination is impossible and pollinating insects are absolutely needed. Considering that the only difference between the crab apple and the apple is fruit size, it seems reasonable that the most effective pollinator of apples, the honey bee, should be equally effective on the crab apple.Crab apple species freely hybridise among themselves and with domestic apples. They produce copious and highly fertile pollen, thus are used as pollenisers in apple orchards. Varieties of crabapple are selected to bloom contemporaneously with the apple variety in an orchard planting, and the crabs are planted every sixth or seventh tree, or limbs of crab are grafted onto some of the apple trees. In emergencies a bucket or drum bouquet of crab apple blossoms are placed near the beehives as orchard pollenisers.

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Thursday, 13 September 2012

Prunus americana, commonly called the American plum or wild plum, is a species of Prunus native to North America from Saskatchewan to New Mexico east to New Hampshire and Florida. It has often been planted outside its core range and sometimes escapes cultivation. Many cultivated varieties have been derived from this species. It forms an excellent stock upon which to graft the domestic plum.

The wild plum grows as a large shrub or small tree, reaching up to 4.6 m. It is adapted to coarse- and medium-textured soils, but not to fine soils. The shrub is winter-hardy, but has little tolerance for shade, drought, or fire. Its growth is most active in spring and summer, and it blooms in midspring. It propagates by seed, but the rate of spread by seed is slow.The wild plum is used for both ornamental and culinary purposes. The white flowers are decorative in spring and its short, single leader makes it a popular residential landscape tree. Sargent says of it: "As an ornamental plant P. americana has real value; the long wand-like branches form a wide, graceful head which is handsome in winter and in spring is covered with masses of pure white flowers followed by ample bright foliage and abundant showy fruit.

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Thursday, 6 September 2012

Erythrina is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae. It contains about 130 species, which are distributed in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. They are trees, growing up to 30 m in height. The generic name is derived from the Greek word ερυθρóς (erythros), meaning "red," referring to the flower color of certain species.

Particularly in horticulture, the name coral tree is used as a collective term for these plants. "Flame trees" is another vernacular name, but may refer to a number of unrelated plants as well. Many species of Erythrina have bright red flowers, and this may be the origin of the common name. However, the growth of the branches can resemble the shape of sea coral rather than the color of Corallium rubrum specifically, and this is an alternative source for the name. Other popular names, usually local and particular to distinct species, liken the flowers' red hues to those of a male chicken's wattles, and/or the flower shape to its leg spurs. Commonly seen Spanish names for any local species are bucaré, frejolillo or porotillo, and in Afrikaans some are called kaffirboom. Mullumurikku is a widespread name in Kerala.

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Friday, 31 August 2012

Kennedia coccinea (Coral Vine) is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a low growing trailing shrub or climber which has twining rust-coloured branchlets with rounded leaflets that are about 1.5 cm long and occur in threes. Orange red or scarlet pea flowers are produced in clusters between August and November in its native range.

The species was first formally described by E.P. Ventenat in 1804 in Jardin de la Malmaison. Two varieties were described in Paxton's Magazine of Botany in 1835, namely var. elegans and var. coccinea. Three further varieties were transferred from the genus Zichya in 1923 by Domin, namely var. molly , var. and var. villosa. Currently, the Western Australian Herbarium recognises only two informal subspecies known tentatively as subsp. Coastal and subsp. Inland. The species is naturally adapted to sandy or lighter soils and prefers some shade. It is resistant to drought and has some frost tolerance. Plants can be propagated by scarified seed or cuttings of semi-mature growth.

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Thursday, 23 August 2012

Honey bees are a subset of bees in the genus Apis, primarily distinguished by the production and storage of honey and the construction of perennial, colonial nests out of wax. Honey bees are the only extant members of the tribe Apini, all in the genus Apis. Currently, there are only seven recognised species of honey bee with a total of 44 subspecies, though historically, anywhere from six to eleven species have been recognised. Honey bees represent only a small fraction of the approximately 20,000 known species of bees. Some other types of related bees produce and store honey, but only members of the genus Apis are true honey bees.

Most species have historically been cultured or at least exploited for honey and beeswax by humans indigenous to their native ranges. Only two of these species have been truly domesticated, one (Apis mellifera) at least since the time of the building of the Egyptian pyramids, and only that species has been moved extensively beyond its native range. Species of Apis are generalist floral visitors, and will pollinate a large variety of plants, but by no means all plants. Of all the honey bee species, only Apis mellifera has been used extensively for commercial pollination of crops and other plants. The value of these pollination services is commonly measured in the billions of dollars.

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Wednesday, 15 August 2012

Acacia is the largest genus in the family Mimosaceae, the Mimosa family, which is mainly tropical and sub-tropical in distribution.The generic name Acacia is derived from the Greek 'akis', a point, referring to the spiny thorns of some species. There are more than 900 species of Acacia in Australia, making it the largest genus in the Australian flora.

Acacia pycnantha, Golden Wattle, is a shrub or small tree about 4 to 8 metres tall. The specific name pycnantha from the Greek 'pyknos', meaning 'dense', and 'anthos', meaning 'a flower', refers to the dense clusters of flowers. In spring large fluffy golden-yellow flower-heads with up to eighty minute sweetly scented flowers provide a vivid contrast with the foliage.

Golden Wattle occurs in the understorey of open forest or woodland and in open scrub formations in South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, in temperate regions with mean annual rainfall of 350 mm to 1000 mm. It regenerates freely after fires, which usually kill the parent plants but stimulate the germination of seeds stored in the soil if rain follows soon after.

The brilliant yellow, fragrant flowers of Golden Wattle make it a popular garden plant. It is moderately frost tolerant and grows well in a wide range of soils provided drainage is effective, but tends to be short-lived in cultivation. It is easily propagated from seed soaked in hot water to break the hard seed coat, and the seedlings can be transplanted to pots of soil mix for growing on before planting out in a lightly shaded or open position.

Golden Wattle flowers have been used in perfume making. It was introduced to horticulture in the northern hemisphere about the middle of the nineteenth century. In Britain it survives outdoors only in the mildest areas. In California it has escaped from garden cultivation and now grows wild but it is not considered a pest. In South Africa, however, it has become a significant weed species.

The adoption of the Golden Wattle as the national flower tends to be confirmed by its introduction into the design of the Australian armorial bearings on the recommendation of the Rt Hon. Andrew Fisher, Prime Minister of Australia, when the Commonwealth Armorial Ensigns and Supporters were granted by Royal Warrant on 19 September 1912. Acacia pycnantha enjoyed popular acceptance as Australia's national flower for much of this century but it was not proclaimed as the national floral emblem until 1988, the year of Australia's bicentenary.

The Gazettal is dated 1 September 1988, signed by the Governor General, Sir Ninian Stephen, on 19 August 1988.A ceremony was held on 1 September 1988 at the Australian National Botanic Gardens when the Minister for Home Affairs, Robert Ray, made the formal announcement, and the Prime Minister's wife, Mrs Hazel Hawke, planted a Golden Wattle. Four years later, in 1992, the 1 September was formally declared 'National Wattle Day' by the Minister for the Environment, Mrs Ros Kelly at another ceremony at the Australian National Botanic Gardens. The Gazettal is dated 24 August 1992 and was signed by the Governor General, Bill Haydon, on 23 June 1992.

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Friday, 10 August 2012

Alyogyne huegelii is a flowering plant found in the Southwest botanical province of Western Australia, extending along its entire coastline. A large flowered shrub, the species favours the sands of coastal shrublands and heath. The large flower, highly variable in colour, is similar to that of Hibiscus. It was previously placed in that genus, and is commonly named "Lilac Hibiscus". It is widely cultivated as a flowering plant for the garden, but the varieties and cultivars previously published are no longer formally recognised.

Alyogyne is a shrub to four metres with many alternate branches, although lower ones may be sparse. Bright green leaves are divided in three to five in outline; margins are irregular, lobate to toothed; pubescent and strongly veined lobes are coarse in shape. The flowerstalk at the leaf axil is long, tilting at the single flower.The flowers have five luminous petals up to 70 mm long, these are overlapping and have slight ridges. The colour is cream or mauve, or the lilac of the name by which it is traded.

The staminal tube structure contains numerous whorled anthers, these are yellow. The five styles of this are fused until the tip, which is composed of swollen and apparently divided stigma. This is supported on a five-lobed calyx, within an arrangement of up to 10 partly fused bracts. As with all the Malvales, the flowers last around a day – becoming deeply coloured and papery when spent. They are numerous in the long flowering period in Australia being between June and January.

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Thursday, 2 August 2012

Cineraria is now generally treated as a genus of about 50 species of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to southern Africa. The genus includes herbaceous plants and small sub-shrubs. In the past, the genus was commonly viewed in a broader sense including a number of species from the Canary Islands and Madeira which are now transferred to the genus Pericallis, including the Florist's Cineraria (Pericallis x hybrida). The uses for Cineraria include topical application for the treatment of cataracts.

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Thursday, 26 July 2012

The Native Sarsaparilla Hardenbergia violacea (var. 'Happy Wanderer') is a useful climbing and creeping plant useful as a ground cover that grows prolifically in the Southern Australian Region. This vigorous, popular and generally hardy Australian native plant grows to about 1 metre high by 1 metre wide. The pea shape flowers appear in late winter and early spring and are violet in colour. It can be used as a ground cover and will climb on a support. It prefers an open sunny position. Pink and white flowering cultivars are also available.

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Thursday, 19 July 2012

Primula is a genus of 400–500 species of flowering herbaceous plants in the family Primulaceae. They include primrose, auricula, cowslip and oxlip. Many species are grown for their ornamental flowers. They are native to the temperate northern hemisphere, south into tropical mountains in Ethiopia, Indonesia and New Guinea, and in temperate southern South America.

Perennial primulas bloom mostly during the spring; their flowers can be purple, yellow, red, pink, or white. Generally, they prefer filtered sunlight. Many species are adapted to alpine climates. The word primula is the Latin feminine diminutive of primus, meaning first (prime), applied to flowers that are among the first to open in spring. Primroses are used as food plants by the larvae (caterpillars) of some Lepidoptera species, including Duke of Burgundy butterfly, Large Yellow Underwing and Lesser Broad-bordered.

The term Polyanthus (often called Primula polyantha) refers to an interspecific garden hybrid between coloured varieties of P. vulgaris and P. veris, possibly with a small admixture of P. juliae. This has produced a large variety af strains in all colours, which are usually grown as annuals, and are available as seeds or young plants. Here is a polyanthus in our garden coping with the effects of a frosty night!

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Thursday, 12 July 2012

Iris is a genus of 260-300 species of flowering plants with showy flowers. It takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow, referring to the wide variety of flower colours found among the many species. As well as being the scientific name, iris is also very widely used as a common name for all Iris species, though some plants called thus belong to other closely related genera. A common name for some species is 'flags', while the plants of the subgenus Scorpiris are widely known as 'junos', particularly in horticulture. Irises are popular garden flowers.

The showy graceful blooms of Dutch Iris (Iris xiphium - also called Spanish Iris!) provide height and colour in mid- to late spring. Definitely one of the easiest and most reliable spring bulbs to grow, they perform well in both open sunny positions as well as in part or full shade.

Flower colour varies from white and yellows through to many shades of blue and purple in either single colour standards and falls through to a combination of both. They are very frost hardy and prefer a sunny position with ample moisture during growth, but none during their dormancy in summer. They can be grown in pots and terrace planters and are ideal as cut flowers for vases and arrangements. Dutch Iris grow to a height of 40 to 50cm.

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Thursday, 5 July 2012

Hydrangea (common names Hydrangea and Hortensia) is a genus of about 70 to 75 species of flowering plants native to southern and eastern Asia (China, Japan, Korea, the Himalayas, and Indonesia) and North and South America. By far the greatest species diversity is in eastern Asia, notably China, Japan, and Korea.

Most are shrubs 1 to 3 meters tall, but some are small trees, and others lianas reaching up to 30 metres by climbing up trees. They can be either deciduous or evergreen, though the widely cultivated temperate species are all deciduous. Having been introduced to the Azores Islands of Portugal, they are now very common there, particularly on Faial, which is known as the "blue island" due to the vast number of hydrangeas present on the island, Terceira, named the "lilac island" for hydrangeas of that colour, on Flores Island ("Island of Flowers") and São Miguel, named the "green island" for its floral biodiversity.

There are two flower arrangements in hydrangeas. Mophead flowers are large round flowerheads resembling pom-poms or, as the name implies, the head of a mop. In contrast, lacecap flowers bear round, flat flowerheads with a center core of subdued, fertile flowers surrounded by outer rings of showy, sterile flowers (as shown in the photo here). In most species the flowers are white, but in some species (notably H. macrophylla), can be blue, red, pink, light purple, or dark purple. In these species the colour is affected by the pH of the soil.

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Thursday, 28 June 2012

Hyacinthus is a small genus of bulbous flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae. Plants are commonly called hyacinths. Hyacinthus is native to the eastern Mediterranean (from south Turkey to northern Israel), north-east Iran, and Turkmenistan.

Three species are within the genus Hyacinthus:Hyacinthus litwinowiiHyacinthus orientalis - Common, Dutch or Garden HyacinthHyacinthus transcaspicus.

Some authorities place H. litwonowii and H. transcaspicus in the related genus Hyacinthella, which would make Hyacinthus a monotypic genus.The Dutch, or Common Hyacinth of house and garden culture (H. orientalis, native to southwest Asia) was so popular in the 18th century that over 2,000 cultivars were cultivated in the Netherlands, its chief commercial producer.

This hyacinth has a single dense spike of fragrant flowers in shades of red, blue, white, orange, pink, violet, or yellow. A form of the common hyacinth is the less hardy and smaller blue- or white-petalled Roman hyacinth of florists. These flowers should have indirect sunlight and are to be moderately watered.Several types of brodiea, squill, and other plants that were formerly classified in the lily family and have flower clusters borne along the stalk also have common names with hyacinth in them.

Hyacinths should also not be confused with the genus Muscari, which are commonly known as grape hyacinths.Hyacinths are sometimes associated with rebirth. The Hyacinth flower is used in the Haftseen table setting for the Persian New Year celebration Norouz held during the Spring Equinox. Hyacinth bulbs are poisonous; they contain oxalic acid. Handling hyacinth bulbs can cause mild irritation to people with sensitive skin. Protective gloves may be worn to avoid irritation.

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Thursday, 21 June 2012

A photo of a lovely Echinopsis spp cactus flowering in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne. The only cactus genus that is more confusing than Echinopsis is that of Opuntia. In both cases, there is a great number of species (over 100) and a tremendous amount of variation.

In Echinopsis plants range from very small, flattened-globose plants to quite large, treelike giants. As a result, there is a long list of synonymous names for many of the species. Some synonyms referring to other synonyms that refer to a subspecies of some seemingly distinct species. Sorting through these names often feels like a wild goose chase and is quite frustrating. In more recent thinking, the previous two genera of Trichocereus and Lobivia are included with Echinopsis. However, it is not at all uncommon for enthusiasts to use all three names in discussion even if their labels read Echinopsis!

This usage reflects the general (inexact) situation that the larger, columnar members are distinguished as Trichocereus while Lobivia includes a select group of smaller, not-as-spiny plants which typically flower from low on the plant similar to most Rebutia species. This leaves the bulk of plants referred to as Echinopsis to be mostly spiny, ribbed, globose plants.

The main factor that ties these plants together are their very large, showy flowers. These flowers are all very similar in structure – funnel shaped, with hairy/wooly scaled floral tubes which give rise to hairy, globular fruit filled with a soft, mushy pulp. The flowers seldom last more than a single day and may be diurnal or nocturnal depending on the species. These species hybridise easily and have resulted in a tremendous number of hybrids that some cactus growers specialise in or grow exclusively. There are certainly enough hybrids to keep even ardent hobbyists busy.

Because of their exceptional flowers, many Echinopsis species are found in garden centres and collections world-wide. The larger species (aka Trichocereus) are also popular landscape plants in warmer parts of the world. While there are a number of species common in cultivation, there are as many or more unknown hybrids in the trade. These hybrids are easy-to-grow and produce nice flowers, but buyer beware if exact names are desired. Plants of this genus are widespread throughout South America and inhabit a wide range of habitats and climates.

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Thursday, 14 June 2012

Hippeastrum is a genus of about 90 species and 600+ hybrids and cultivars of bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae, subfamily Amaryllidoideae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas from Argentina north to Mexico and the Caribbean. Some species are grown for their large showy flowers.

For many years there was confusion amongst botanists over the generic names Amaryllis and Hippeastrum, one result of which is that the common name "amaryllis" is mainly used for cultivars of this genus, which are widely used as indoor flowering bulbs. The generic name Amaryllis applies to bulbs from South Africa, usually grown outdoors.

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Thursday, 7 June 2012

Echinacea is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae. The nine species it contains are commonly called purple coneflowers. They are endemic to eastern and central North America, where they are found growing in moist to dry prairies and open wooded areas.

They have large, showy heads of composite flowers, blooming from early to late summer. The generic name is derived from the Greek word ἐχῖνος (echinos), meaning "sea urchin," due to the spiny central disk. Some species are used in herbal medicines and some are cultivated in gardens for their showy flowers. A few species are of conservation concern.

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Thursday, 31 May 2012

Ceratostigma willmottianum or Chinese plumbago is a deciduous shrub that provides great interest in early autumn when its slender stems bear pale blue flowers amongst the foliage that gradually turns red as the autumn season develops. This shrub is easy to grow in a sunny, well-drained spot and can be cut hard back in the spring where it can be utilised at the front of beds and borders in small or large gardens. The flowers are very attractive to butterflies.

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Thursday, 24 May 2012

Cymbidium (or "boat orchids"), is a genus of 52 evergreen species in the orchid family Orchidaceae. It was first described by Olof Swartz in 1799. The name is derived from the Greek word kumbos, meaning 'hole, cavity'. It refers to the form of the base of the lip. The genus is abbreviated Cym in horticultural trade.

This particular cultivar illustrated here, is a hybrid designated Cymbidium Choc x Michael Herbert. It is one of the orchids we have growing in our garden and which are flowering now. Cymbidiums are one of the highlights of the autumn flowering season and we have several different cultivars that produce beautiful long spikes of flowers that last for several weeks.

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Wednesday, 16 May 2012

Telopea speciosissima or the “waratah” is a native
Australian plant with spectacular flowers. Robert Brown (1773-1858) named the genus Telopea
in 1810 from specimens collected in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney. Sir
James Smith (1759-1828), a noted botanist and founder of the Linnaean Society
in England, wrote in 1793: 'The most
magnificent plant which the prolific soil of New Holland affords is, by common
consent, both of Europeans and Natives, the Waratah. It is moreover a favourite
with the latter, upon account of a rich honeyed juice which they sip from its
flowers'.

The generic name Telopea is derived from the Greek 'telopos',
meaning 'seen from afar', and refers to the great distance from which the
crimson flowers are discernible. The specific name speciosissima is the
superlative of the Latin adjective 'speciosus', meaning 'beautiful' or
'handsome'. 'Waratah', the Aboriginal name for the species, was adopted by
early settlers at Port Jackson.

Telopea is an
eastern Australian genus of four species. Two are confined to New South Wales,
one to Tasmania and one extends from eastern Victoria into New South Wales. Telopea
belongs to the family, Proteaceae, which is predominantly Australian and
southern African. The Waratah is a stout, erect shrub which may grow to 4
metres. The dark green leathery leaves, 13-25 cm in length, are arranged
alternately and tend to be coarsely toothed. The flowers are grouped in rounded
heads 7 to 10 cm in diameter surrounded by crimson bracts, about 5 to 7 cm
long. It flowers from September to November and nectar-seeking birds act as
pollinators. Large winged seeds are released when the brown leathery pods split
along one side.

The species is fairly widespread on the central coast and adjoining
mountains of New South Wales, occurring from the Gibraltar Range, north of
Sydney, to Conjola in the south. It grows mainly in the shrub understorey in
open forest developed on sandstone and adjoining volcanic formations, from sea
level to above 1000 metres in the Blue Mountains. Soils within its range tend
to be sandy and low in plant nutrients. Rainfall is moderately high. Waratah
plants resist destruction by bushfires, a natural element of their habitat, by
regenerating from the rootstock. Flowering recommences two years after a
moderate fire.

The Waratah is a spectacular garden subject in suitable soil and
climate; it flowers prolifically and tends to be long-lived. The Waratah occurs
naturally in at least ten national parks in the geological formation, know as
the Sydney Basin. Brisbane Water, Dharug and Macquarie Pass National Parks are
among the areas where this species is conserved. Waratahs are cultivated north
of Sydney and in the Dandenong Ranges, Victoria. They are grown in Israel, New
Zealand and Hawaii for the cut flower trade. It was introduced to England in
1789 but cannot survive English winters out of doors except in the south-west
coastal regions, and it rarely flowers in glasshouses. It is also cultivated in
California.

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Wednesday, 9 May 2012

Jasminum, commonly known as jasmines, is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family (Oleaceae). It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World. Jasmines are widely cultivated for the characteristic fragrance of their flowers.

Jasminum angulare (Wild Jasmine) is a species of jasmine that is indigenous to South Africa. This scrambling climber can be grown in the sun or semi-shade. It produces masses of white, scented, star-shaped flowers and it attracts a variety of birds. This is one of around 10 species of Jasmine that naturally occur in South Africa.

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Thursday, 3 May 2012

Chrysanthemums, often called mums or chrysanths, are of the genus Chrysanthemum, comprising approximately 30 species of perennial flowering plants in the family Asteraceae which is native to Asia and northeastern Europe. The name chrysanthemum was given tot hese plants by Linnaeus and is derived from the Greek words, chrysos (golden) and anthemon (flower), with many of the cultivated varieties having brilliant yellow-gold flowers.

Chrysanthemums were first cultivated in China as a flowering herb as far back as the 15th century BC. The plant is renowned as one of the "Four Gentlemen" in Chinese and East Asian art. The plant is particularly significant during the Double Ninth Festival. It is believed that the flower may have been brought to Japan in the 8th century CE, and the Emperor adopted the flower as his official seal. There is a "Festival of Happiness" in Japan that celebrates the flower. The flower was brought to Europe in the 17th century.

Modern chrysanthemums are much more showy than their wild relatives. The flowers occur in various forms, and can be daisy-like, decorative, pompons or buttons. This genus contains many hybrids and thousands of cultivars developed for horticultural purposes. In addition to the traditional yellow, other colors are available, such as white, purple, and red. The most important hybrid is Chrysanthemum × morifolium (syn. C. × grandiflorum), derived primarily from C. indicum but also involving other species. The photo here is from a plant in our garden, which was given to us as a cutting by a neighbour. It currently has a profuse showing of rich, large blossoms that brighten the wet and gray autumn days.

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Wednesday, 25 April 2012

Vigna caracalla is a leguminous vine from the family Fabaceae, originating in tropical South America and Central America. The species is named "caracalla", fromt eh Latin for "hood or cloak", referring to the hooded shape of the open flowers. Some people suggest that this specific meaning comes from Caracas in Venezuela, but this is probably a misapprehension.

This perennial vine has fragrant flowers reminiscent of hyacinths. The buds, especially have a distinctive curled shape, giving rise to the common names "corkscrew vine", "snail vine", "snail creeper", or "snail bean". This vine is hardy in zones 9 and above, liking full sun and consistently damp soil. It prefers high heat and humidity and can become invasive if these conditions are met. In colder zones, it does well in a pot if it is overwintered inside.

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Thursday, 19 April 2012

Zantedeschia is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to southern Africa from South Africa north to Malawi. The name of the genus was given as a tribute to Italian botanist Giovanni Zantedeschi (1773–1846) by the German botanist Kurt Sprengel (1766–1833). Common names include arum lily for Z. aethiopica, calla, and calla lily for Z. elliottiana and Z. rehmannii although it is neither a true lily (Liliaceae), nor Arum or Calla (related genera in Araceae). It is also often erroneously spelled as "cala lily".

It has often been used in many paintings, and is visible in many of Diego Rivera's works of art (see The Flower Vendor, amongst others). The Zantedeschias are rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plants growing to 1-2.5 m tall with leaves 15–45 cm long. The inflorescence is a showy white, yellow or pink spathe shaped like a funnel with a yellow, central, finger-like spadix. The Zantedeschia species are poisonous due to the presence of calcium oxalate. All parts of the plant are toxic, and produce irritation and swelling of the mouth and throat, acute vomiting and diarrhoea. However, in some countries the leaves are sometimes cooked and eaten after suitable preparation.

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Wednesday, 11 April 2012

Osteospermum is a genus belonging to the Calenduleae, one of the smaller tribes of the sunflower family (Asteraceae). Osteospermum used to belong to the genus Dimorphotheca, but only the annual species remain in that genus; the perennials belong to Osteospermum.

The scientific name is derived from the Greek osteon (bone) and Latin spermum (seed). It has been given several common names: African Daisy, South African Daisy, Cape Daisy and Blue-eyed Daisy. There are about 50 species, native to Africa, 35 species in southern Africa, and southwestern Arabia. They are half-hardy perennials or subshrubs. Therefore they do not survive outdoor wintry conditions, but there is still a wide range of hardiness.

Most widely sold cultivars are grown as annuals and are mainly hybrids of O. jucundum, O. ecklonis and O. grandiflorum and can be hardy to -2°C. If hardy, they can be grown as perennials or as shrubs. The photo is of a relatively newly introduced cultivar known as "Tradewinds Pure Yellow". They flower repeatedly and produce beautiful waves of colour during the growing season. This is a patented variety that was introduced in 2006 and the flowers are sterile and will not set seed.

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